Should I Tell My Prospects about My Past Fornication?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

As a young teenager, I was in a few relationships and committed many sins, even Zina. I repented a few years ago, and my time for marriage has come. Do I tell my family? Do I tell him and his family, or do I keep it all to myself? The guilt keeps me up at night, and I sincerely regret it; I haven’t done anything since then. I am in the pursuit of changing myself. My past haunts me, and I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to break my family’s hearts. Kindly guide me through this.

Answer

Rest assured, sister, that you don’t need to tell anyone about your past. It would be sinful to uncover your sin after Allah Most High has covered it. Allah Most High accepts repentance for every sin, which is good enough for Him, so your secret doesn’t need to go beyond that. Please see the links below for excellent detailed information; continue to devote yourself to Allah Most High and take the proper steps to marriage.

Check these links:
Husband Asking About My Past
Marriage and Troubled Past
Does Knowing a Potential Spouse’s, Past Matter?
I Fear That My Past Will Catch up to Me. What Do I Do?
Because I Committed Zina in the Past, Will I Ever Get Married to a Good Muslim Man?
My Friend Committed Fornication in the Past and Wants to Tell Her Prospective Husband About It. Is This a Good Idea?

May Allah Most High bless you in your union and make you a garment for him and him a garment for you.

[Ustadh] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqida, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.